BEIJING, FEB 3 (ZENIT).- While the United States gets the brunt of the negative press in Europe over the death penalty, Amnesty International has revealed that China has executed more people than all other countries put together. Minors, drunk drivers, Panda hunters, and "political criminals" have all been the victims of capital punishment in this communist country.

    In 1998, 2,701 persons were condemned to death, of whom 1,769 have already been executed. The death penalty is considered by Chinese authorities as an efficient means in the struggle against crime, which in recent times has increased markedly, due to urban unemployment and the agricultural crisis.

    According to Amnesty International, the Chinese judicial system suffers from imbalance; it favors accusation and seriously reduces the possibilities of those accused to receive a just prosecution. According to this source, sometimes the verdicts are known before the court process even occurs -- the presentation of evidence and witnesses is reduced to a mere formality.

    In the first month of the year 2000, 55 persons were executed according to the official Chinese press agency.

    Zhu Bangzao, spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, responded to Amnesty International's protest and that of other abolitionist associations by stating that the national tribunals "are very prudent" when applying capital punishment. ZE00020307